Run Bearcat as a Windows Service

Already installed Bearcat?

Go to the update instructions.

The Windows service starts Bearcat with Windows and keeps it running when you are not logged in. New installations use SQLite, which needs no database server. To start and stop Bearcat yourself, use the Desktop app.

1. Install the archive tools and download Bearcat

Install WinRAR and 7-Zip. Create a folder for your releases, for example C:\Bearcat\releases.

Download the Bearcat.Service-win-...zip package for your computer from GitHub releases and extract it, for example to C:\Program Files\Bearcat. Keep all files in the same folder.

2. Run setup

Open PowerShell as Administrator, change into the extracted folder, and run:

cd "C:\Program Files\Bearcat"
.\Bearcat.Cli.exe setup

Use these answers for a new installation:

Prompt	What to enter
Database	Keep SQLite (recommended).
SQLite database file	Keep the default, %ProgramData%\Bearcat\bearcat.db.
Path to 7z executable	Usually C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe.
Path to rar executable	Usually C:\Program Files\WinRAR\Rar.exe.
Working directory	Your release folder, for example C:\Bearcat\releases.
Additional working directory	Leave empty to continue.
Web port	Keep 17208.

If you installed the archive tools elsewhere, enter their actual paths. Keep the SQLite database on a local drive. For releases on a network share, see Using a network share.

Setup saves the configuration, installs the service, and starts Bearcat.

3. Open Bearcat

Open http://127.0.0.1:17208, or use the port you chose during setup.

Next: Set up Bearcat and upload your first release.

Updating

1. Download the new Bearcat.Service-win-...zip package for your computer from GitHub releases and extract it into a separate folder.
2. Open PowerShell as Administrator and stop the service:

sc.exe stop Bearcat
sc.exe query Bearcat

Wait until sc.exe query Bearcat shows STOPPED before replacing any files.

3. Replace all application files in the existing install folder, including DLLs and subfolders, with the files from the new package. Keep any database file you chose to store in this folder.
4. Start the service again:

sc.exe start Bearcat

5. Reload the web interface and check the version shown in the sidebar below the logo.

You do not need to run uninstall or setup. The service registration and account are kept. Settings, bearcat.key, and the default SQLite database stay in %ProgramData%\Bearcat. Bearcat updates the database automatically on startup.

Change the setup later

Run .\Bearcat.Cli.exe setup again to change paths, the port, or the database. It preselects your current database and keeps the service registration and account.

To use PostgreSQL, set up a PostgreSQL server first. Select PostgreSQL during setup and enter its host, port, database name, username, and password. Setup tests the connection.

Switching databases does not transfer data; the new database starts empty.

Where the configuration is stored

Setup saves this computer’s settings here:

%ProgramData%\Bearcat\config.json

The file contains database settings, archive tool paths, working directories, and the web port. Only the service account and Administrators can access the folder. PostgreSQL passwords are stored in plain text.

Bearcat stores the key for your encrypted credentials in the same folder:

%ProgramData%\Bearcat\bearcat.key

Back up bearcat.key together with your database:

• SQLite: the database file, by default %ProgramData%\Bearcat\bearcat.db. Stop the service before copying the file. While the service runs, use sqlite3 bearcat.db ".backup bearcat-backup.db" instead.
• PostgreSQL: your PostgreSQL database.

Without bearcat.key, Bearcat cannot decrypt your saved credentials.

setup and set-db-password keep custom sections such as Logging or Bearcat.

To enable the REST API command endpoints, add Bearcat.ApiKey. See Control Bearcat from External Tools.

Managing the service

Open Services (services.msc) and find Bearcat.

Or use an Administrator terminal:

sc.exe start Bearcat
sc.exe stop Bearcat
sc.exe query Bearcat

The service restarts automatically after a crash.

Checking the logs

The service logs to the Windows Event Log. Open the Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs => Application, and filter by the source Bearcat.

More detailed logs

Bearcat logs warnings and errors by default. For more detail, add the following Logging section to config.json. Keep your existing connection, paths, and port values:

{
  "Database": { "Provider": "Sqlite", "SqliteFilePath": "..." },
  "Archivers": { "RarPath": "...", "SevenZipPath": "..." },
  "WorkingDirectories": ["..."],
  "Urls": "http://127.0.0.1:17208",
  "Logging": {
    "LogLevel": {
      "Default": "Information",
      "Bearcat": "Debug"
    }
  }
}

Restart the service to apply the change:

sc.exe stop Bearcat
sc.exe start Bearcat

Using a network share for releases

The service runs as LocalSystem by default. This account cannot access protected network shares. Mapped drives such as Z: are not visible to services. If your release data lives on a network share:

1. Enter it as a UNC path (\\server\share\releases) during setup, not a mapped drive letter.

2. Open services.msc => Bearcat => Log On, and set an account that has access to the share.

   

3. Restart the service.

The setup reminds you about this when it detects a UNC path. The account is kept when you run setup again.

Changing the database password

For PostgreSQL, update the database password with this command as Administrator:

.\Bearcat.Cli.exe set-db-password

It prompts for the new password, tests the connection, updates the configuration, and restarts the service. With SQLite, it exits with an error and leaves the configuration unchanged.

Uninstalling

To stop and remove the service, run (as Administrator):

.\Bearcat.Cli.exe uninstall

The command removes the service and offers to delete config.json. The database is kept.